Currently, medication labels do not have any reference explaining what the medication is used for except for the diagnosis (if written on the prescription by the provider). Research supports that this directly results in poorer health outcomes, especially for those patients who may be disabled, elderly, functionally impaired, non-English speaking or are illiterate.
Currently, medication labels are written in typed black ink. This assumes the user can read English, can see the print, and understands what the words mean. With a culture of increasing diversity, “English” may not be the primary language. A medication bottle is presently given to a non-English speaking user and it is expected that the person understands what he/she is taking and when it should be given. The same is true for the elderly who may be functionally impaired, persons with disabilities, or those who are illiterate.